Star Trek: Phase II (formerly known as Star Trek: New Voyages) is a fan-created science fiction series set in the Star Trek universe. The series was created by James Cawley in April 2003. Jack Marshall came aboard as a producer with the idea to market the series on the internet.[1] The series, released exclusively via the Internet, is designed as a continuation of the original Star Trek (aka ST:TOS or just TOS), beginning in the fifth and final year of the starship Enterprise's "five-year mission." The first episode of the series was released in January 2004, with new episodes being released at a rate of about one per year, though producers have expressed their desire to accelerate production.

CBS (and previously Paramount Pictures), which owns the legal rights to the Star Trek franchise, allows the distribution of fan-created material as long as no attempt is made to profit from it without official authorization,[2] and Phase II enjoys the same tolerance.

As of December 2014, nine episodes have been released: "Come What May" (the pilot); "In Harm's Way"; "To Serve All My Days"; "World Enough and Time"; "Blood and Fire," a two-part episode written by original series scribe David Gerrold; "Enemy: Starfleet"; "The Child"; "Kitumba" and "Mind-Sifter". More episodes have been shot and are in the various stages of post-production or are in pre-production.[5]

The Star Trek: New Voyages pilot episode was produced by James Cawley, Jack Marshall (series director at the time), Pearl Marshall, Max Rem and Jerry Yuen. Episodes 1 was produced by James Cawley, Jack Marshall, Pearl Marshall, Max Rem, Amanda Stryker, James Lowe, Jeff Quinn, John Muenchrath and Rod Roddenberry (Gene Roddenberry's son). Episode 2 was produced by James Cawley, Jack Marshall, Erik Goodrich, James Lowe, Jeff Quinn, John Muenchrath and Rod Roddenberry.

The pilot and the first two episodes were directed by Jack Marshall. However, after filming of "To Serve All My Days" it was announced (December 29, 2005) that Marshall would leave the series. Max Rem continued his participation for another 6 months of post production and then also left the project.

July 2013 saw major announcements for production of Star Trek: Phase II, with James Cawley leaving the role of Captain Kirk to focus solely on production of the show and original series writer David Gerrold taking on the duties of Executive Showrunner in hopes of producing episodes with greater regularity. Gerrold also personally announced that due to an overwhelming backlog, the show would no longer accept script submissions, nor would any episodes based on existing Star Trek books, comics, stories or other published works be adapted to the series – due to a request by CBS legal in the fall of 2011. Rather, all further episodes will come from original works by previous Star Trek writers or crew associated with the series.[6]

Played the characters of Lieutenant Tasha Yar and Sela in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Also hosted/co-produced the films Trekkies and Trekkies 2. (Her character here has been referred to in promotional material for this episode as Tasha Yar's grandmother, and even goes so far as to refer to herself as Jenna Natasha Yar.)

John Winston played the transporter chief and relief helmsman Lieutenant Kyle in the original series, and later as Commander Kyle (same character) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as communications officer on starship Reliant. His character's name here pays homage to the real Matt Jeffries, who co-designed the original starship Enterprise.

For the second episode, "To Serve All My Days," written by original series writer D.C. Fontana, original cast member Walter Koenig reprises his role as Pavel Chekov. Mary-Linda Rapelye (Irina Galliulin in the original series episode "The Way to Eden") appears as an ambassador.

David Gerrold (author of TOS episode "The Trouble With Tribbles") has signed on to pen two episodes. One, originally entitled "Blood and Fire," was originally pitched for Star Trek: The Next Generation, but was rejected. Gerrold later claimed the story was rejected because it dealt with homosexuality and AIDS.[citation needed] It was later re-worked as the third book in his Star Wolf series of novels.[citation needed]Denise Crosby guest starred as Natasha Yar's grandmother, Dr. Jenna Yar, in David Gerrold's "Blood and Fire." In addition, Bill Blair guest starred as Commander Blodgett, and The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan made a cameo appearance as Admiral Keoghan.

Looking to the future of Star Trek: Phase II, there are five episodes in various stages of production. "Blood and Fire, Part 2" was released November 20, 2009 with temporary audio tracks for Act 3 onwards. It has since been re-released with permanent audio & effects. "Enemy: Starfleet," written by Patty Wright and Dave Galanter, was released online in mid-2011, featuring effects done by the DAVE School. "The Child," written by Jon Povill and Jaron Summers, and directed by Jon Povill, was released in early April 2012. "Kitumba" began principal photography on June 15, 2009 and was released on December 31, 2013 after many delays and more shoots to finish principal photography. The script was adapted from an early story draft for two episodes of the planned Paramount Phase II series in 1977. "The Protracted Man"—written by David Gerrold and Dave Galanter, went before the cameras in June 2010. "Mind-Sifter", originally written by Shirley S. Maiweski, was adapted into a teleplay by Patty Wright and started filming in June 2011. This version was scrapped and a new version, with a new script and starring Brian Gross, was released in December, 2014. "Bread and Savagery", written by Rick Chambers, was filmed in June 2012, as was the first episode to feature Brian Gross as Captain Kirk. The "Holiest Thing", also written by Rick Chambers, was filmed in June 2013.

In early 2012, the Phase II crew announced that they would film "He Walked Among Us," an unproduced script that Norman Spinrad had sold to the original series. But when CBS claimed ownership of the material, the announcement was withdrawn. CBS had not protested over the series' use of "Blood and Fire", which had been written for Star Trek: The Next Generation; "The Child", and "Kitumba", which had been similarly developed in the late 1970s for the aborted series Star Trek: Phase II, or "Mind-Sifter" published by Bantam Books, because they were filmed before the Star Trek movies directed by JJ Abrams were in production. CBS wants to keep all material they have previously purchased or licensed in any way, as possible work to be drawn on for future licensed films.[7]

The pilot episode, "Come What May", begins with the late-1960s NBC "In Living Color" sequence. It ends, as did the 1960s episodes, with the animated Desilu Productions logo, with no mention of Paramount. Starting with Enemy: Starfleet, the series uses the late-60s CBS color opening (reflecting the series current ownership by CBS Television Studios) and ends with the logo of Cawley Entertainment Company, Cawley's production company.

^Bennett, Bruce (August 8, 2007). "Star Trek: A New Enterprise". New York Sun. Retrieved July 9, 2011. Since 2003, a crew as altruistically minded, culturally diverse, and indefatigable as the Enterprise's complement has periodically toiled in a former car dealership warehouse in upstate New York.... "Star Trek: New Voyages" is the brainchild of fans James Cawley and Jack Marshall.